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A new way to see the impact of social context in autism
Autistic adults prefer social touch less but engage just as much
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By Peter Clark (Senior Editor, Autism Info Center) Friday 9th January 2026 |
A new study challenges the assumption that autistic adults avoid physical contact, revealing they engage in social touch as frequently as non-autistic peers despite generally finding it less comfortable.
Researchers from Durham University utilised a novel digital 'body-painting' task and a co-designed questionnaire to survey 31 autistic and 43 non-autistic adults.
Participants coloured on-screen body silhouettes to visually map their emotional responses to touch across intimate, friendly, and professional scenarios.
While autistic participants rated touch as less pleasant in friendly or professional contexts, their perception of intimate touch with romantic partners was statistically similar to the non-autistic group.
Surprisingly, both groups reported comparable satisfaction levels and interaction frequency, typically occurring a few times a week.
The data indicates that sensory responsivity, anxiety, and the unpredictability of physical contact are the primary barriers for autistic adults, rather than a fundamental lack of social interest.
These findings suggest that many autistic individuals may engage in social touch to adhere to social norms, highlighting the importance of clear communication and predictability to improve their experience.
Source: Sage Journals (USA)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613251403906
Further reading, listening and viewing...
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